Phonak vs Starkey: Pros And Cons
Introduction
As we age, our hearing may naturally decline. But this is not a normal part of aging; it’s due to the cumulative effects of noise exposure, earwax blockage, and disease. Hearing aids have the unique ability to counteract some of these causes of loss: they amplify sound and filter out unwanted noise like wind or traffic sounds. And while they’re best for mild to moderate hearing loss—one or two steps on a six-step scale—they can also help people with more severe losses maintain their independence as well as improve their quality of life.”
Many seniors are concerned about the price of hearing aids. How will they afford to pay for a device that will help them enjoy quality of life, especially when insurance generally doesn’t cover hearing aids? Furthermore, what if they don’t have medical insurance? Here is a comparison between two popular hearing aids by phonak and starkey.
What Is A Hearing Aid?
A hearing aid is a small device that is worn in or behind the ear that amplifies sounds such as those from people talking, ringing phones, doorbells and alarm clocks. It also helps with background noises such as music from the television or kitchen appliances. It helps a person who has lost some sound from their hearing.
A hearing aid consists of a microphone, an amplifier and a speaker. The microphone picks up sound and sends it to the amplifier, which increases the volume of the sound. The speaker then sends the amplified sound into your ear canal.
Most people today have experienced hearing loss, whether it is from exposure to loud noises or from aging. It is vital that one considers getting tested for hearing loss if they are experiencing any of the following:
If you have difficulty hearing people at restaurants, at work or in school and aren’t sure why, then there is a good chance that you may be suffering from hearing loss.
How Do Hearing Aids Work?
Hearing aids are electronic devices that use tiny microphones to pick up the sounds. These are then translated into the equivalent sound wave by a very powerful amplifier which sends this information into the ear canal through a tiny wire or “tailpiece.” A hearing aid picks up both direct sounds and background noise, and it also has a feature called “gain” which boosts the volume when listening through headsets (like those you use with your cell phone). There are many different types of hearing aids, but they all have one thing in common – they amplify sounds to help people hear better.
Phonak vs Starkey: Which Is The Best?
1. Phonak Hearing Aid
Phonak is a Swiss company founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. The products of this company are innovative hearing aids . It produces hearing aids that can be used by people with mild to profound hearing loss and also for tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Phonak is also the leader in hearing aids for senior citizens.
Phonak hearing aids are more affordable and with a quality that is better compared to Starkey. It’s only disadvantage is that it does not have a long warranty compared to Starkey.
Phonak also has the best price on standard hearing aids starting at around $2,000 a pair. Other than this, it also produces hearing aid for people with mild, moderate or severe hearing loss. The nice thing about Phonak is that all their products have a lifetime warranty where they will change the part if it gets damaged even after 2 years from purchase date.
Pros Of Phonak Hearing Aid
Phonak has the most affordable hearing aids. It is the only hearing aid manufacturer that makes a device that is affordable to almost everyone. Phonak also has the most comfortable and high quality products. Its hearing aids are also backed by the largest warranty in the industry.
Cons Of Phonak Hearing Aid
It only provides a two years warranty. Phonak also charges an additional fee for the filters and custom molds.
2. Starkey Hearing Aid
Starkey Hearing Aid is a renowned US based company that has been manufacturing and designing hearing aids since 1949. The headquarters of this company are in Little Rock, Arkansas with branches all over the world including the US, Canada and Europe. Starkey makes the highest quality hearing aids for seniors. It also makes great products for others who have tinnitus or those that want to be able to hear better on their way to work, school or appointments.
Starkey is a privately held company and was founded in 1957. It is a leading manufacturer of hearing aids in the world and has an excellent quality control system that meets very strict standards. Its product line includes custom made products for women who are getting older and who want to benefit from hearing loss. Starkey US is also the leader in hearing aids for children with mild to profound hearing loss.
Pros Of Starkey Hearing Aid
Starkey Hearing Aids provide the best comfort compared to other brands. It also has a two year warranty with exchange and free service if the hearing aid stops working within two years from purchase date. Starkey also has a financing program through Zounds Hearing.
Cons Of Starkey Hearing Aid
It only provides a two year warranty and the price is very expensive compared to other hearing aid brands. It is also reported to have customer service issues. Many people said that they had trouble returning their hearing aids for repairs or replacement. There are also complaints about long wait time for service and bad customer service agents who are hard to understand.
Conclusion
Phonak has the best price for its product line and also the most affordable pricing for all its products while Starkey has a nice warranty compared to one year and this is a good choice for people with medical insurance that cover this kind of hearing aid.
The quality of both products are very good but as far as the price goes, Phonak is still more affordable compared to Starkey.
The overall conclusion is that it all depends on what person will use it . Some people may prefer Starkey because it comes at a cheaper price and more affordable than Phonak at around $1,000 less than the average cost of Phonak .
To sum it up, if you are looking for cheap hearing aids then Phonak is the best choice for you, but if you are looking for high quality and excellent hearing aids then Starkey will be your choice.